Ocean Biomedical, Inc. announced that it is focusing its multi-pronged malaria program to address the chronic malaria crisis in sub-Saharan Africa while recognizing newly emerging global malaria challenges. Based on discoveries by Scientific Co-founder, Jonathan Kurtis, MD, PhD, Ocean Biomedical is working on a multivalent mRNA-based malaria vaccine with potential to target several stages in the malaria cycle. Additionally, the company has discovered a new therapeutic approach with the potential to launch a whole new class of anti-malarials.

Promising results from the malaria program include: 1) an mRNA-based vaccine that generates >90% killing of malaria parasites in non-human primates, 2) a monoclonal antibody that kills 94%-99% of malaria parasites in culture, and 3) a small molecule drug that kills 100% of parasites at low nanomolar concentrations. Multiple U.S. and global patents are held by Ocean Biomedical for both the vaccine and therapeutic approaches.